KT Tape: Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. These muscles are relatively small, yet are extremely important in all shoulder movements. They start at the shoulder blade and connect to the upper arm in a fashion that forms a “cuff“ to provide the needed stability and mechanics of the shoulder. To further explain the vital nature of these muscles, understand that the shoulder joint is much like a golf ball sitting on a tee. This design is necessary for the wide range of motion needed from the arm, but inherently creates a relatively unstable joint. The rotator cuff muscles are the muscles responsible for countering this unstable state. Though often thought to be an injury related specifically to athletic activity, incidence of rotator cuff injury is just as high in non-athletic populations. Rotator cuff injuries generally involve many factors. Incidences of injury increases with age and degeneration of the tendons, but younger individuals with t